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Tkachuk sends Panthers to Stanley Cup Final, after topping Hurricanes 4-3 for sweep

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SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk delivered for Florida, again. Sergei Bobrovsky denied Carolina, again.

The wait is over: After 27 years, the Florida Panthers — a hockey punchline no more — are again going to play for the game’s grandest prize.

Tkachuk got his second goal of the game with 4.9 seconds left, lifting the Panthers past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 and into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996 after sweeping the Eastern Conference final.

The Panthers will play either Vegas or Dallas for the Stanley Cup starting sometime next week; Vegas currently leads the Western Conference title series 3-0.

“This was pure joy,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots to cap his stellar series — four games, four one-goal wins, three of them basically in sudden death, a .966 save percentage after stopping 174 of the 180 shots he faced. The first two wins were in overtime, and this one may as well have been.

The Panthers scored 10 goals in the series, and Bobrovsky ensured those were all they needed. They were the No. 8 seed, the last team in, the longest of long shots — which is consistent with their history, after not winning a single playoff series in 26 years, a drought that ended last season.

And now, beasts of the East. Tkachuk arrived last summer saying he wanted to bring Florida a Cup. He’s four wins away.

“It’s amazing,” Bobrovsky said. “We showed the resilience … and we’re lucky to have Chucky on our side. He knows how to score big goals.”

NHL Senior Vice President Brian Jennings was the one tasked with presenting the Prince of Wales Trophy. After some photos, Aleksander Barkov — the captain who had two assists, one of them on the game-winner — grabbed it, and skated it away. Some teams touch it. Some don’t. A few of the Panthers did, but Barkov didn’t pass it around.

That’ll wait for the big prize.

“It’s hard to explain right now. Everything just happened so quick,” Barkov said. “It means a lot. It definitely does. … It hasn’t been easy and nobody said it’s going to be easy.”

Added Tkachuk: “We earned that thing, and definitely didn’t do it the easy way. We earned it.”

Ryan Lomberg and Anthony Duclair had the other goals for Florida, which swept a series for the first time in franchise history.

Jordan Staal — his brothers Eric and Marc play for the Panthers — took a tripping penalty with 57 seconds left in regulation, setting up the power-play that Tkachuk finished off after getting into the slot and beating Frederik Andersen to set off a wild celebration.

“Eastern Conference champions,” Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “It’s really cool. No doubt about it. But you know, at the end of the day, we have our eyes on something different.”

Toy rats — the Panthers’ tradition, a nod to the unwanted locker room guests from Florida’s old arena in 1996 — sailed down from the stands, and the goal needed to survive an official review. But the rats were picked up, the goal was deemed good, and 27 years of waiting was officially over 4.9 seconds later.

Jesper Fast seemed like he might have saved the season for Carolina, getting a tying goal with 3:22 left in regulation. Paul Stastny and Teuvo Teravainen had the first two goals of the night for the Hurricanes, while Brady Skjei and Jordan Martinook each had two assists. Andersen stopped 21 shots.

“Everyone’s going to say, ‘You got swept.’ That’s not what happened,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I watched the game. I’m there. I’m cutting the games. We’re in the game. We didn’t lose four games. We got beat, but we were right there. This could have went the other way. It could have been four games the other way.”

That wasn’t sour grapes. He was right. A bounce here, a bounce there, a Bobrovsky not here, a Bobrovsky not there, and this series could have gone much differently.

But Bob was his best. Tkachuk was clutch, over and over. And Florida is as close to a Cup as it has ever been; the Panthers were swept by Colorado in the 1996 final.

Towels waved, strobe lights flashed, and the fans wasted no time letting the Panthers know that they were ready to a clincher.

Tkachuk made it 2-0 on the power play midway through the first. Carolina — a 113-point, division-championship-winning team in the regular season — made it 2-1 later in the first on Stastny’s goal, and Teravainen tied it early in the second.

Lomberg’s goal midway through the second gave Florida the lead again. It stayed that way until Fast got the equalizer with 3:22 left, and then Tkachuk finished it off — getting the Panthers to the title round in his first season.

“It’s been unbelievable since July since I got here,” Tkachuk said. “And hopefully we can cap off this amazing year.”

AROUND THE RINK

Panthers general manager Bill Zito was announced earlier Wednesday as a finalist for NHL GM of the year. … Tkachuk’s two goals gave him 21 points in the playoffs — extending his Florida single-season postseason record, which was 17 by Dave Lowry in 1996. … Slavin was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game after Bennett’s hit, with what the Hurricanes said was “an upper-body injury.” Slavin wobbled as he tried to get to his feet. … Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel — who has also been a regular at Miami Heat games during their playoff run this spring — banged the drum before the game. When done, without a mic to drop, he simply dropped the mallet instead.

TWO-GOAL EDGE

Tkachuk’s goal midway through the opening period put Florida up 2-0 — and marked the first time, in nearly 14 periods of play to that point, that a team had a two-goal lead in this series. Every bit of action came with the score tied or someone up by one in the first 272 minutes (including all the overtimes) of the series.

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Entertainment

“4000 Days,” “Frampton” Set for Naples International Film Festival Oct. 24–25

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NAPLES, Fla. (FNN) — Two documentaries exploring families’ fight against college hazing and the career of musician Peter Frampton will screen at the Naples International Film Festival Oct. 24–25, according to an announcement from 10 Lives Studios.

Both films will be shown at Pavilion Naples, 833 Vanderbilt Beach Road.

“4000 Days”: Families Turn Grief Into Advocacy

Directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Daniel E. Catullo III and executive produced by Paris Hilton, “4000 Days” follows three families whose sons died in fraternity hazing incidents.

Gary and Julie DeVercelly, Linda and Eric Oakes, and TJ and Kim Burch joined forces to challenge hazing practices, seek accountability and push for legislative reform. The title represents the approximately 4,000 days of their struggle to turn personal loss into change, according to the filmmakers.

The 111-minute documentary premiered at Tribeca and won the Grand Jury Award at the Jersey Shore Film Festival, according to the announcement.

Catullo, Julie and Gary DeVercelly, and Eric Oakes are scheduled to participate in question-and-answer sessions following the Naples screenings.

Screenings:

  • Saturday, Oct. 24: 4 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 25: 11 a.m.

“Frampton”: A Career of Setbacks and Comebacks

Directed by Frampton’s longtime bandleader, Rob Arthur, and produced by Catullo, “Frampton” traces the guitarist’s rise through the Herd and Humble Pie, his breakthrough as a solo artist and his continued performances while facing a degenerative condition.

Marking the 50th anniversary of “Frampton Comes Alive!”, the documentary combines archival footage, interviews and recent performances to examine the musician’s career and resilience.

The 102-minute film features appearances by musicians and entertainers including Ringo Starr, Sheryl Crow, Tom Morello, Alice Cooper and Nancy Wilson.

After premiering at Tribeca, the documentary won the Audience Award for Music on Screen at the Calgary International Film Festival, according to the announcement.

Screenings:

  • Saturday, Oct. 24: 7:05 p.m.

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Politics

Jim Boyd, Jay Trumbull Endorse Alex Rizo for Florida Senate District 39

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Florida Rep. Alex Rizo speaks on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives in Tallahassee. Rizo is a Republican state representative and a candidate for Florida Senate District 39.

Republican legislative leaders back Rizo as race develops to replace former Sen. Bryan Avila in Miami-Dade County

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. (FNN)— Florida Senate President-Designate Jim Boyd and Sen. Jay Trumbull have endorsed state Rep. Alex Rizo in the developing race for Florida Senate District 39, according to a press release announcing their support.

The endorsements add two prominent Republican senators to Rizo’s campaign as candidates position themselves to succeed former state Sen. Bryan Avila, who resigned from the Senate in August.

Florida Senate records show Avila, a Republican, resigned from District 39 on Aug. 25, leaving the Miami-Dade County seat vacant.

Boyd, Trumbull Praise Rizo’s Legislative Record

In a joint statement provided in the press release, Boyd and Trumbull pointed to Rizo’s record on education, taxes, public safety and parental rights as reasons for their endorsement.

“Alex Rizo is a leader who has championed parental rights, historic school choice expansion, tax cuts for hard working Floridians and business owners, increased funding for public schools and teacher pay, workforce and technical education, public safety, and efforts to educate future generations about the horrors and failures of communism,” Boyd and Trumbull said.

The senators said they believe Rizo would work alongside them in the Florida Senate on their shared policy priorities.

“We are proud to endorse Alex Rizo for Senate District 39 because we know he will stand with us to protect freedom and deliver common sense solutions for hard working Floridians,” they said.

Rizo Running for Open Senate Seat

Rizo, a Republican from Hialeah, announced his candidacy for the open Senate seat following Avila’s resignation. Rizo has served in the Florida House since 2020 and has represented House District 112 during the current legislative term.

The Senate District 39 race is developing following Avila’s departure from the Legislature to run for lieutenant governor.

District 39 is located in Miami-Dade County and includes heavily Hispanic communities in the northwestern portion of the county.

Special Election Date Still to Be Formally Set

Florida’s 2026 general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. However, as of Sept. 11, the Florida Division of Elections had not listed a Senate District 39 special election among its scheduled 2026 special elections.

Under Florida law, a vacancy in the state Senate may require a special election. The governor, after consulting with the secretary of state, issues the order establishing the election date.

The timing of the District 39 election therefore remains subject to an official special-election order.

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Business

Amazon Cargo Jet Overruns Miami Airport Runway by 1,300 Feet, Killing 5 as NTSB Investigates

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An Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 cargo aircraft is shown in flight. Amazon contracts with air carriers to operate aircraft within its cargo network. File Photo

Federal investigators recovered both flight recorders after the Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air for Amazon struck vehicles and traveled about 1,300 feet beyond the runway at Miami International Airport.

MIAMI, Fla. (FNN) — Federal investigators are working to determine why an Amazon cargo jet overran a runway at Miami International Airport by about 1,300 feet Sunday, struck vehicles inside and outside the airport perimeter and crashed, killing five people and injuring at least five others.

The Boeing 767, operated by 21 Air LLC for Amazon, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it overran the runway at about 2 p.m. Sunday. It was the aircraft’s third flight of the day, according to investigators.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy described the crash site Monday as an area of extensive devastation and debris.

Investigators have recovered both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, which could provide critical information about the aircraft’s approach, touchdown, speed, braking performance and crew communications.

The NTSB has not determined the probable cause of the crash.

NTSB: Jet Struck Vehicles After Leaving Runway

The five people killed were in two vehicles struck by the aircraft after it left the runway, according to the NTSB.

Investigators said the jet first struck a 2021 white Ford Econoline van owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., an airline cleaning contractor. Seven people were inside the van.

The aircraft then broke through an airport perimeter fence and struck a Toyota Corolla Cross outside airport property.

The jet continued through another fence near an area where Tesla robotaxis were stationed before coming to rest, according to Homendy.

The crash left a large debris field that investigators are documenting as they reconstruct the aircraft’s path.

Five Killed, At Least Five Injured

The human toll extends beyond the aviation and airport investigation.

According to the NTSB, all five fatalities were among people in the two vehicles struck during the runway overrun. At least five other people were injured.

The circumstances put particular attention on what happened after the aircraft left the paved runway and traveled beyond the airport boundary.

Investigators will examine the entire accident sequence before determining what factors contributed to the fatalities.

Flight Recorders Recovered as NTSB Investigates Cause

The central question remains unanswered: Why couldn’t the aircraft stop before reaching the end of the runway?

Homendy cautioned Monday that investigators would not determine probable cause while working at the scene.

The NTSB is examining whether the aircraft touched down too far along the runway to stop safely and whether the crew should have abandoned the landing and performed a go-around. Investigators are also expected to analyze the aircraft’s speed, braking performance, mechanical condition, weather and runway conditions.

Video of the landing is also expected to play an important role in reconstructing the sequence of events.

The flight data recorder can provide technical information about the aircraft’s speed, altitude, control inputs and systems. The cockpit voice recorder can help investigators establish crew communications and other conditions inside the cockpit during the final phase of the flight.

Investigators will combine that evidence with wreckage examinations, maintenance records, air traffic control information, weather data, surveillance video and witness interviews.

Could the Miami Crash Have Been Prevented?

It is too early to determine.

The NTSB has not concluded that pilot actions, mechanical problems, weather, runway conditions or airport infrastructure caused or contributed to the accident.

One issue under scrutiny is the protection available when an aircraft overruns a runway.

Miami International Airport does not have the type of aircraft arresting system installed at some airports, according to AP reporting. MIA instead has a 1,000-foot runway safety buffer and complies with applicable requirements.

That distinction is important: The absence of an arresting system does not establish that airport infrastructure caused the crash or fatalities.

Investigators will need to determine first why the aircraft overran the runway and then whether different safety measures could have prevented the accident or reduced its severity.

The findings could eventually lead to recommendations involving aircraft operations, runway-overrun protection, airport infrastructure or carrier procedures — but any such conclusions would come after the evidence is analyzed.

Amazon-21 Air Safety Relationship Under Review

Another significant part of the investigation will focus on the relationship between Amazon and 21 Air.

The aircraft was carrying cargo for Amazon but was operated by 21 Air.

Homendy said investigators want to understand the responsibilities of each company, including what safety provisions are contained in contracts, policies and operating arrangements.

That examination could help establish how operational and safety responsibilities were divided between the cargo customer and the airline operating the aircraft.

Amazon has said it is cooperating with the investigation.

Crash Causes Major Disruptions at Miami International Airport

The crash also caused significant disruptions at one of the nation’s busiest aviation gateways.

More than 160 flights were canceled and nearly 325 delayed by late Sunday, according to FlightAware data reported by The Associated Press.

Disruptions continued Monday as aircraft and flight crews remained out of position.

Miami International Airport reported that two of its four runways remained closed and advised passengers to contact their airlines before traveling to the airport.

The closures are especially significant because of MIA’s enormous passenger and cargo operations.

The airport handled approximately 55.3 million passengers and 3.4 million U.S. tons of freight in 2025, according to official MIA statistics. The airport has four runways and recorded nearly 499,000 commercial aircraft movements last year.

That makes prolonged runway restrictions potentially consequential for passenger travel, international commerce and South Florida’s logistics network.

What’s Next?

NTSB investigators are expected to continue documenting the wreckage, examining the aircraft and runway, interviewing witnesses and reviewing operational and maintenance records.

Analysis of the cockpit voice and flight data recorders will be particularly important in determining where the aircraft touched down, how fast it was traveling, how much runway remained and how the aircraft’s braking and other systems performed.

Investigators will also examine weather and runway conditions, flight crew actions, air traffic control communications and the Amazon-21 Air operating relationship.

The NTSB’s investigation process separates the collection of factual evidence from its eventual determination of probable cause. The agency maintains public investigation records and dockets as cases progress.

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